


Under the Hydrangeas

by satelliteinasupernova



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen, I JUST WANT BETTY AND TONI FRIENDSHIP, literally the only time they are at the same place in 2b, takes place just before that gothic sleepover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 06:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14326440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satelliteinasupernova/pseuds/satelliteinasupernova
Summary: “Cheryl's not home yet?” Toni asked, not sure why else Betty would be seated outside by herself.“Oh...no.” Betty answered slowly. Her shoulders were drawn up like they always were when the two of them acknowledged each other. She tucked her phone away in her bag and turned to face her. “I was waiting for Veronica to get here first.” She glanced back at the mansion, biting at her lip before confiding, “I thought it might be a bit awkward if I was the first one here. Things between me and Cheryl aren't always....” she trailed off, looking uneasy.Toni knew there was bad blood between Cheryl and Betty. She had watched Cheryl inflict unnecessary damage herself, so she couldn't help asking, “But you came to the sleep over anyway?”Betty shrugged, “There is always tension between us, but I'd rather things be okay if she's open to it.”Toni wasn't sure if she meant what she said to feel like it had a double meaning.





	Under the Hydrangeas

**Author's Note:**

> Art for this fic is posted at  
> http://satelliteinasupernova.tumblr.com/post/172979281599
> 
> Thank you for reading!

As Toni walked up the pathway to Thornhill, she was hit with the intense smell of blooming flowers. It was sickeningly sweet, almost overpowering the aged smell of the property itself.

No matter how many times she came to Thornhill, it was never any less intense of an experience. Thornhill didn't feel like a place that even belonged in Riverdale, it was practically from a fairytale storybook where there really were evil old witches in gingerbread houses, ready to eat lost children whole.

Yet, there was a witch at Thornhill. Penelope Blossom, cold and heartless, immobilizing her own daughter with fear, guilt, and self hatred. She was such a caricature of old evil Disney queens that Toni was almost inclined to laugh whenever she stormed into a room.

Toni had briefly thought about riding up to Thornhill with her bike and leather jacket, revving the engine as protest just to rustle Penelope Blossom's feathers, but today wasn't for that. Today was a sleepover between the girls of Riverdale, and even though there were many things to dislike about Thornhill, Toni was excited for this.

Since transferring to Riverdale high, Toni's life was practically turning into a movie version of high school. Just like the ones on old beat up VHS tapes that she used to dig out of boxes in her aunt's closet. She would haul them over to her grandfather's place and dedicate the afternoon to watching them on his outdated TV set. In those movies, the girls had impeccably styled makeup, outfits expertly put together, and all problems could be solved with a conversation and a shopping trip. Tonight, she would be participating in that old stereotype, the sleepover, where presumably pillows were thrown and they would braid each others hair. Sure, Toni had slept over at friend's houses plenty of times before, but not like this, at a fancy house where attire was predetermined to fit a theme. Certainly, never before with the alluring Cheryl Blossom and her band of friends. Toni felt warm with excitement. Even the chilly atmosphere of Thornhill couldn't deflate it.

As Toni was about to step toward the doorway, she noticed someone out of the corner of her eye. Seated on a bench near the edge of the property was Betty Cooper. She was under an overgrown hydrangea bush that almost completely blocked her from sight. Tucked away, she was hunched over, scrolling through her phone, oblivious to anything around her.

Toni paused. Conversations with Betty had always been stilted and uncomfortable since they first met. Toni certainly knew why. More recently, there was a sharpness in Betty's expression when they were together, a complicated mix between envy and hurt. When they spoke, there was a heaviness between them. Toni found it all kind of exhausting.

Thoughts about Betty Cooper among the serpents were mixed. Sweet Pea downright disliked her, and considered her Jughead's distraction from The Cause. Fangs was indifferent to her. Most of the other Serpents projected onto her the feelings they already had about Jughead. They assumed she was an unnecessary source of drama with a big mouth.

If Toni was honest, she hadn't been much of a fan of Betty at the start. Betty had that air of superiority common among all Northsiders, and she didn't seem to realize when she was parroting her mother's own finger-pointing rhetoric.

Toni had a more holistic view of her now, if not from personal experience, then through Jughead. Watching Jughead turn to mush whenever Betty was mentioned was something Toni found endlessly amusing, and poking fun at him about it had become a natural habit. She didn't think Betty had as much of a grasp of Serpent concerns as she thought she did, but she was relentlessly dedicated to Jughead, and Toni found something admirable in that.

Even as she grew to respect her a little more, she and Betty had never been friends. Betty had been completely scarce the first week she had attended Riverdale, when her assistance with all the drama surrounding their transition of schools might have actually been helpful. If nothing else, then to help Jughead chill out. He was significantly less self-destructive when Betty was around. Toni had also been kind of looking forward to watching Jughead awkwardly navigate being back around his old flame, but the most she had gotten was long questioning stares in her direction from Betty. Jealousy. It wasn't the foundation for a particularly healthy friendship.

Toni was ready to just shrug it off as a lost cause, but a few weeks after Jughead and Betty had gotten back together, Betty had waved at her from across the hall with an almost warm look. It had been small, but it had made a lasting impression on Toni. It felt important, like extending olive branch, even.

Toni glanced up at the door of Thornhill once more, but made her decision with a sigh. She stepped back and walked toward where Betty was seated. The crunch of gravel warned her approach. Betty glanced up and blinked at her.

“Cheryl's not home yet?” Toni asked, not sure why else Betty would be seated outside by herself.

“Oh...no.” Betty answered slowly. Her shoulders were drawn up like they always were when the two of them acknowledged each other. She tucked her phone away in her bag and turned to face her. “I was waiting for Veronica to get here first.” She glanced back at the mansion, biting at her lip before confiding, “I thought it might be a bit awkward if I was the first one here. Things between me and Cheryl aren't always....” she trailed off, looking uneasy.

Toni knew there was bad blood between Cheryl and Betty. She had watched Cheryl inflict unnecessary damage herself, so she couldn't help asking, “But you came to the sleep over anyway?”

Betty shrugged, “There is always tension between us, but I'd rather things be okay if she's open to it.”

Toni wasn't sure if she meant what she said to feel like it had a double meaning.  She sat down on the bench next to Betty, leaning against the wooden backing.

“Congratulations on making the cheerleading squad, by the way,” Betty added, smiling. “You did great today.”

Toni uncomfortably scratched at the side of her head, “Thanks. I... wasn't sure how you would feel about me joining the squad.”

Betty's eyebrows drew together in response, “I was surprised I guess, why?”

It dawned on Toni that maybe right before a sleepover wasn't the best time to have this conversation, but she also couldn't remember ever having a moment alone with Betty before. Now might be their best chance. “Oh, you know. It's something you were already a part of, and I just got the sense that maybe you weren't comfortable with me around.” Toni took a deep breath and turned to face Betty. There was no turning back now. Maybe Cheryl would appreciate a cat fight right before a planned event, she was funny that way.

Instead of getting defensive, a blush spread out across Betty's face, making its way down her neck and up to her forehead. “Oh.”

She took a moment before saying more, her eyes flittering uncomfortably between Toni and literally everywhere else. Toni tried to think of a way to navigate the conversation without making it even more uncomfortable.

“I'm sorry, Toni.” she said suddenly, the words tumbling from her mouth. “If I've made things awkward for you, that wasn't my intention. It's just... Everything been...” she moved to straighten out her ponytail even though no hair was out of place. “I've been trying to adjust to change, but I haven't done it well.”

“It's fine.” Toni said, ready to end the whole conversation.

“No, it's not,” Betty said, earnestly. “I've always been jealous of you, and the Serpents, and it's not okay. You are a part of Jug's life now, and I've been awful about it...” She took a deep breath, her expression still mortified. There was something a little endearing about it.

“Really, Betty, I get it. Change takes time and all that.” Toni knocked into her shoulder for good measure. Betty looked up to her gratefully.

“I just overthink things. All the time. I let all my insecurities with Jughead affect you, and I don't blame you if you hated me for it.”

Toni just shrugged, “I've dealt with worse drama, trust me.”

Betty took a deep breath, the tension in her shoulders finally letting up. Toni looked over at her for a long moment. If they were going to do this, air their dirty laundry, or whatever it was they were doing, there was no point in stopping here.

“Look, Betty, about me and Jug.” Betty's shoulders instantly stiffened, her eyes met Toni's with wary expression. Toni put her hands up, “I'm just saying. I don't know what you are imagining all happened between us, but don't overthink it. I know what Jughead told you, but it's probably not as bad as you think.”

Betty took another deep breath, and ran a hand over her hair again, “Yeah, okay.”

“You don't have anything to worry about.”

Betty looked over at her and nodded, but her shoulders moved into a shrug. “Yeah, thanks Toni.”

Before she could think, Toni added, “Honestly, it wasn't even very good, so don't stress about it.”

Betty blinked at her. For a moment, Toni was afraid she had ruined their brief chance at peace by confiding too much. Then a bubbling laugh fell out of Betty's mouth. She quickly stopped it by slamming a hand to her face. “That was an awful thing to laugh at.” she said with her hand still cupping her mouth.

Toni just chuckled, “Look, Jug's heart wasn't exactly in it. To be honest, hooking up with guys never turns out to be as interesting as I think it'll be.”

The amused smile that broke out on Betty's face was contagious and Toni couldn't help but follow suit.

Even after a pause, Betty glanced her way and fell into another small fit of laughter. The heavy tension between them had completely dissipated.

“Anyway, my point is, it shouldn't change your relationship with Jughead, and I don't want it to be a problem between us either.”

Betty nodded back, “Okay.”

Toni smirked and leaned back into the bench again, “If you can pass on any dirt that I can use against Jug though, it would be much appreciated.”

Slowly, a new expression took over Betty's face, her cheeks warming again, but this time with a concealed, sly grin. “I couldn't say anything with Jug hasn't been interesting, but we'll see.”

Toni couldn't help it, she burst out laughing, “Good for him!” She felt Betty's shoulder jump with laughter beside her.

They were interrupted when a fancy black vehicle drove up to the front of the property. Veronica Lodge slid out of the back seat, one foot at a time, looking like every big city heroine Toni had ever seen on screen. When she grinned at them with a wave, Betty stood up to join her.

“Are you ready for a night of pampering in this lovely, Gothic setting?” Veronica asked cheerfully.

“Absolutely,” Toni answered with a grin, “Let's go find the hostess and save her from any horrors that might be hiding in there.”

Betty nodded, and glanced back at Toni with a wink.

 


End file.
